Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in United States versus $454 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in United States versus $683 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in United States versus $912 in Pakistan.

Living in United States is roughly 478% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

United States (92% above) and Pakistan (67% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $987 to $5,200, compared to $297–$593 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.38 $20.38

$2.16 PKR 597

843.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 $79.0

$14.02 PKR 3,884

463.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$5.27 PKR 1,461

123.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 596

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 PKR 1,134

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$1.94 PKR 538

179.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.39 PKR 107

605.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.22 PKR 60.8

886.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.87 PKR 242

19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.63 PKR 174

465.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.17 PKR 323

301.71%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$1.19 PKR 329

257.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$5.67 PKR 1,571

132.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$2.80 PKR 775

343.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.49 $17.49

$5.02 PKR 1,391

248.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$1.13 PKR 314

361.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.68 PKR 189

142.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$0.86 PKR 238

419.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$0.59 PKR 162

723.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$0.31 PKR 87.2

822.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.39 PKR 107

697.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.37 PKR 104

500.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.41 PKR 112

470.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 560

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PKR 313

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 665

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$2.16 PKR 598

381.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.16 PKR 43.44

1425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$10.21 PKR 2,828

538.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$0.86 PKR 239

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.57 PKR 157

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$2.13 PKR 589

1294.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.17 PKR 324

-11.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K $35.8K

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

94.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

2.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$222 $222

$112 PKR 30.9K

99.28%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$5.33 PKR 1,475

1075.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$15.94 PKR 4,415

367.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.12 $45.12

$16.12 PKR 4,466

179.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 $23.13

$10.90 PKR 3,018

112.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$4.29 PKR 1,189

255.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$42.45 PKR 11.8K

3372.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$1,378 PKR 381.6K

1712.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$16.34 PKR 4,525

231.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 $42.55

$23.18 PKR 6,419

83.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$79.2 PKR 21.9K

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$34.65 PKR 9,598

229.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$137 PKR 37.9K

1094.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

1665.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,701 $2,701

$307 PKR 85.1K

779.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,239 $2,239

$171 PKR 47.3K

1209.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,267 $3,267

$1,022 PKR 283.1K

219.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,651 $2,651

$533 PKR 147.7K

397.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,317 $4,317

$188 PKR 51.9K

2201.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

13.96

-55.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United States: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,610 in United States, $124 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $1,358 in Columbia, TN vs $278 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $4,521 in United States, $182 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1198% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 477% more in United States.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2384% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

United States vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $445 per month in Pakistan and $3,094 in United States, there's a 595% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Pakistan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Pakistan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.